Dumbledore's Orders (Preparing for the Worst)
by Gambitized
Summary: May, 1997. Dumbledore has months to live at best He won't leave the world undefended though. His Order of the Phoneix will fight on, and should they need new members, Dumbledore knows where to get them. He'll recruit them from Hogwart's ranks. There was a already an organization in place that was willing to follow Harry once. And he can convince them to do it again. Canon compliant


**A/N: I first started working on this story when it occurred to me that Dumbledore would probably want to make sure that the Order of the Phoenix had plenty of people to replace members if they died, as Dumbledore had no way of knowing how long Harry would take to find the Horcruxes. The obvious choice for these new people is the D.A. This is convenient for me, since it provides me with a way to study the character's motivations, as in the future I'm planning on writing more about the D.A. Because it's a character study of sorts, you should expect little humour, very little adventure, and no romance of any sort. It's just not that sort of story.**

 **I should also like to note that the Dumbledore in the story is not evil. In fact, it's my hope that you'll find him much like the Dumbledore you see in the books. That is, a hero, but one who will manipulate people into doing the right thing. It's certainly not Dumbledore bashing, which I don't like, and it's (hopefully) not painting him as the best hero ever, which I have no love for either.**

* * *

Dumbledore's cursed hand throbbed gently as he paced his office. Outside the dark window, it was a new moon, just a sliver of silver in the sky. It would be one of the last ones he would see. There was so little time left, and so much that needed doing. There were still so many parts that he had to be set in motion.

Harry was well on his way, the brave boy. He had no idea what was waiting for him. He would need both Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, but Dumbledore had already prepared what the two of them would require. Mr. Weasley in particular would need help. He would come back, if given the chance, and Harry would be unlikely to succeed without him. Miss Granger's gift was less certain, but he had high hopes that she would discover the symbol.

Dumbledore paused at the front of his desk, gazing down at his will. Yes, the two of them should be well prepared already, and there was no question of them not following Harry.

But Harry would need more than his two friends, much more. Who knew how long it would take to end this war? Harry would need someone, or rather a group of people, to keep Voldemort busy, and to fight wherever they were needed.

His Order of the Phoenix would serve well in that capacity. They were strong, and Alastor would be able to lead them, or Kingsley, should it come to that.

Dumbledore frowned and started to pace again, his hand still throbbing. He remembered the last war, when so many people he had led into the war had died. This one might go on for years, like before, and if that was a case, they would need more people, and a place to recruit new members. Ideally, it would be a group who had already followed Harry.

Without haste, Dumbledore moved to his desk, searching for a document that had been laid on his desk well over a year ago. It took some probing, but at last he managed to retrieve a single parchment from his desk, with the _Dumbledore's Army_ scrawled across the top in neat lettering.

Dumbledore sighed, touched they had named their group after him, though it had never been his army. If they knew a fraction of his past, perhaps they wouldn't have named it for him, but they looked up to him. He could use that to his advantage.

He gazed at the twenty-eight signatures on the parchment. Over ten were out of Hogwarts already, and Katie Bell would be out before the end of next year, if she didn't decide to redo this year, and they wouldn't be able to help at Hogwarts. Still, perhaps he could arrange it so they could help in some other way.

Dumbledore reached out to stroke Fawkes, putting down the parchment on the top of his desk. There were so many variables, and too many different possibilities that he had plan for.

There were still countless people he had to move into harm's way.

"All for the greater good, right Fawkes?" he asked the phoenix, unable to prevent a trace of bitterness in his tone. A few of the former headmasters and headmistresses glanced up toward him from the portraits, but quickly pretended to go back to sleep when it was obvious he wasn't addressing them.

Dumbledore picked up the parchment again. Harry would need everyone he could get on his side, and those whose names were on this single piece of parchment represented the best chance of getting him those numbers. Singly, they would just be thirteen, seventeen if the Muggle-borns were allowed back, but their actions would spread further, and they might inspire people.

He would have to contact them, nudge them in the right position. Some might be resistant to fighting, and others would be too ready to. Dumbledore would have to prepare them. They couldn't know he was urging them, or they might resist being used.

Dumbledore read down the list, pausing after each name. Neville Longbottom would be easy, as would Ginny Weasley. He would have to make sure they didn't act too hastily. Luna Lovegood would follow Ginny, of that Dumbledore was certain. Ernie Macmillan would join too, his loyalty would ensure that. The Muggle-borns, Dean Thomas, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and the Creevey Brothers, they would all fight too, if the Ministry held out that long.

Dumbledore fingered the parchment. The others would be harder, some very hard. Some would fear for their lives, as well they should. Some few of them already saw what was ahead. He would have to be cautious with them.

Many of them were almost there. He would have to think carefully about what he was going to say to them. He would play on their pride, their loyalty, their bravery, and their intelligence to get them to fight. He would take what made them the most useful to Harry's cause and use that to join make sure they fought back. If he had to, he could play on their fears.

In short, Dumbledore would make sure they would fight, even if it was the end of them.

"For the greater good," he tried to say to himself, but the taste in his mouth stopped him from completing it. Forcing teenagers to fight and possibly die always had a way of cutting through lies that people told themselves.

He would start tomorrow, while there was still time. He'd pull them away one at a time. In the end, together they would be the next wave of the order. They would be able to buy Harry enough time to deal with the Horcruxes.

Dumbledore just hoped they wouldn't have to sacrifice everything for him.


End file.
